Roller-rack.



J. P. JOHNSON.

ROLLER RAOK' APPLICATION FILED AUG.25, 191a.

Patented May 12, 1914.

witnesses TTNTTE JOHN FRANK JOHNSON, 0F BATTLE GREEK, MICHIGAN.

ROLIrE-RRACK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 12, 1914.

Application filed August 25, 1913. Serial No. 786,450.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN FRANK J oI-IN- SON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Battle Creek, in the county of Calhoun and State ofMichigan, have invented certain. new and useful Improvements inRollerltacks; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, which form part of this specification.

This invention is a novel frame, or rack, particularly designed forholding the inking rollers of printing presses when not in use; andadapted to hold a number of such rollers while being Washed or cleaned.

The invention is an improvement upon the rack shown in my Patent No.722,514, of March 10, 1903, and the object of the invention is to soconstruct the rack that it will be adapted to hold rollers of differentlengths, so that one rack can hold the rollers for two or more presses.although the rollers thereof may be of different lengths. The rack isalso provided with a shelf for cans and tools and with a can in whichthe roller cleaning rags and waste may be placed.

The invention is particularly adapted for use in job printing ofliceswhere various presses are employed, and whose rollers may be ofdifferent lengths. The inking rollers of such machines can beconveniently stacked on my rack and cleaned while in position thereon.

I will explain the invention as embodied in the form illustrated in theaccompanying drawings. but I do not consider the invention restricted tothe specific construction of parts illustrated therein, and the claimsset forth what I desire to protect by these presents.

Referring to the drawings:Figure 1, is a perspective view of thecomplete rack. Fig. 2, is an enlarged perspective view of the rackproper showing the arrangement of the adjustable upper roller retainers.Fig.

3, is a detail.

As shown in the drawings, the rack proper comprises a base plate a whichis preferably constructed as described in my aforesaid patent. and has aflange a at top, and an upturned. flange a around its lower edge,forming a channel a; and onthe inclined surface of the plate a, betweenflanges a and a are a series of V-shaped ribs (1 which divide thesurface of the plate a into a series of V-shaped spaces a; the ribs awill direct the lower ends or journals 1 of any inking-roller R, placedon any space a of the base-plate into correct position thereon, so thatthe operator does not have to be particularly careful. in placing therollers 0n the l' ase-plate, and the weight of the rollers assists inproperly positioning them upon the base-plate. Said base-plate a may bemounted upon any suitable support; but in order to have the rack easilytransportable it is shown as mounted upon a standard 2 which issupported on a spider-base a The base-plate a is preferably mounted on acasting or collar 2 attached to the upper end of the standard 2 andprovided with roller bearings 2 so that the rack can be easily rotatedwithout friction. To said plate a are attached vertical rods 3, foursuch rods being shown, spaced equi-distant. To these rods are adjustablyattached segmental U-shaped yokes, or castings 4; which have outercurved portions 4 and inwardly extending ends 4:" which are perforatedto engage the rods Each yoke is strung upon two rods 3, and isvertically adjustable thereon and can be secured in any position, towhich it is adjusted, by means of setscrews 4, or other suitabledevices.

The outer portion 4" ofthe yokes 4 are provided with apertures 4corresponding in distances apart with the spaces a. These openings 4 arepreferably countersunk at both top and bottom, so as to facilitate theengagement of the roller trunnions with the openings 4", or theirremoval therefrom, see Fig. 3. In the example shown, each yoke has threeopenings 4: and there are four yokes, each yoke of which extends foronefourth of the circumference of the plate a; said plate a in theexample shown, has twelve V-spaces a. If desired, the yokes could bemade of greater extent; or the number of rods and yokes could beincreased and the number of V-spaces in the plate 0 increased, accordingto the total number of rollers which it is desired that the rack shouldbe capable of holding. Two of the vokes 4.- are shown as adjusted to aplane below the other two yokes; and the lower yokes. are used forinking rollers of one length and the higher yokes are used for longerinking rollers.

In placing a roller in the rack, its upper trunnion is first enteredinto one of the apertures 4 of the propcryoke, and then 7 can place, orremove, or clean, the rollers without having to walk around the rack todo so. 7

While primarily designed to be used in cleaning. the inking rollers, therack is also useful for holding the rollers, while the press is out ofoperation, in readily accessible condition. The rack occupies very little floor space, and the rollers thereon are less liable to injury.

In the rack shown, a circular shelf 5is attached to the standard 2,below the plate a, which shelf may be provided with a glass I slab 5 forink mixing purposes; and said shelf is used to hold oil cans, andarticles that are in daily use. A rag can 6 is also mounted on thespider 52* below the shelf .5, and this can may be divided intocompartments for soiled rags, and clean rags or waste, and it isprovided with a cover 6 that may be strung on the standard 2 and willautomatically drop into place and close the can. The utility andconvenience of such a rack is obvious, and will be readily appreciatedby pressmen.

Preferably the yokes P are enlarged, as shown, adjacent the apertures 4so that the operator can readily locate the apertures. by

such enlargements, and does not have any difliculty in inserting theroller journals into the apertures.

Hall the rollers are of the same length, the yokes can all be adjustedto the same plane on the uprights, and by reversing the alternate yokesthey will form a practically complete circle with all the apertures inthe same horizontal plane. 7

As above stated, the number of yokes and uprights can be variedaccording to the desired size and capacity of the rack.

What I claim is l. A rack for printers rollers having a base platehaving a downwardly inclined portion provided with a'series ofdivisions, a plurality of U-shaped yokes above the plate provided withapertures corresponding with the said divisions and adapted to retainthe upper trunnions of the rollers standing upon the divisions of thebase plate, and parallel rods supporting and. connecting the adjacentends of adjacent yokes.

2. A rack for printers rollers comprising a base plate, a plurality ofvertical rods spaced apart and supported on said base, and a pluralityof yokes each having its ends connected to two of said rods the adjacentends of adjacent yokes being attached to the same rod, said yokes beingadapted to retain the upper ends of rollers supported on the base plate.

3. A rack for printers rollers comprising a base plate, parallelvertical rods supported on said base, and yokes having their oppositeends connected to adjacent rods, said yokes being adapted to retain theupper ends of rollers supported on the base plate,

the adjacent ends of adjacent yokes'being' V attached to the same rodsaid yokes being adjustable to different heights on the rods toaccommodate rollers of different lengths,

A. In a rack for printers rollers, the combination of a standard, a baseplate rotatably mounted thereon, parallel rods connected with and risingfrom said base plate, segmental yokes each connected to adjacent rodsabove the base plate and adjacent ends of adjacent yokes being alsoconnected to the same rod, said yokes being adapted to retain the upperends of rollers supported on the base plate, said yokes bracing the rodsand being independently vertically 'adjustable thereon so that the rackmay accommodate rollers of different lengths.

5. A rack for printers rollers comprising a base plate having adownwardly inclined portion provided with a series of divisions,parallel vertical rods supported on said base, and U-shaped yokesconnected to said rods provided with apertures corresponding to thedivisions on the base plate and adaptedto retain the upper ends ofrollers i.

supported on the base plate, the adjacent ends of adjacent yokes beingattached to the same rod, and each yoke connecting adjacent rod-s, saidyokes being vertically adjustable on the'rods to accommodate rollers ofdifferent lengths.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing v as my own, I affix mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN FRANK JoiiNsoN.

Witnesses: 7

Rose M. LARDER, G. S. BUSH.

' Qopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. a

